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November 2006                                                                            Volume 11 - Number 2

Katrina Recovery...

Report on FEMA Public Assistance spending in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in LA, MS and AL

By John Sullivan

http://www.dhs.gov/xprepresp/programs/gc_1157649340100.shtm
Katrina and Rita had a massive physical impact, affecting 90,000 square miles. Over 80 percent of the city of New Orleans flooded. More than 1.5 million people were directly affected and more than 800,000 citizens were forced to live outside of their homes. $110.6 billion in Federal aid was authorized for relief, recovery and rebuilding efforts.
Much of these funds were distributed by FEMA in the following ways:
•    Funded $5.5 Billion to repair and replace damaged public infrastructure such as roads and bridges, schools, water systems, public buildings and public utilities, as well as to fund emergency protective measures and debris removal.
•    National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) provided funds to policyholders to help them rebuild or relocate. The claims represent more than $16.1 billion in payments to more than 205,000 policyholders.
•    $1.57 billion to Louisiana in mitigation grant funding.  In Mississippi, more than $429 million has been obligated for post-disaster mitigation projects.
•    85 million liters of water, 176 million pounds of ice and 46.5 million meals.
•    Deployed all 28 Urban Search & Rescue teams into the Gulf region to assist with response and rescue efforts, saving nearly 6,600 lives.  Additionally, deployed 6,300 personnel, including highly-trained nurses and physicians who treated more than 165,000.
•    Moved 273,000 individuals from shelters into more suitable transitional homes.
•    FEMA’s Individuals and Households Assistance Program provided a total of $7.1 billion to victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
•    More than 550,000 households – $2 billion total –  received Other Needs Assistance to cover medical, mental health, transportation and other expenses.
•    Conducted 1.9 million housing inspections in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas and approved more than $400 million to help 180,000 households repair damaged homes.
•    Spent more than $3.7 billion to assist with debris removal efforts.
•    Approved $975 million in Community Disaster Loans in Louisiana and Mississippi, including a $120 million loan to the City of New Orleans to maintain essential services such as law enforcement, education and health services.
The General Services Administration (GSA) helped FEMA obtain more than $1 billion in supplies, equipment and services to the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts, including: 1.5 million gallons of jet fuel, unleaded gasoline and diesel gasoline; 414,000 cots, beds, blankets, and sheets; 20,000 air mattresses; 4,000 tents, tent bags and sleeping bags; 2,000 travel trailers for evacuee staging areas; 978 bags of clothing; 600 pallets of ice; 319 acres of land awarded for temporary housing and temporary housing staging areas; 213 ambulances; and 74 trucks.